Women and Girls Killed in ‘Record Numbers’ as Conflicts Hit Post-1946 High: UN Report
NEW YORK: The world is experiencing the highest number of active conflicts since 1946, creating unprecedented dangers for women and girls and reversing two decades of progress on the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, according to the 2025 UN Secretary-General’s report.
The report, issued on the 25th anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325, paints a grim picture of escalating violence and exclusion. It warns that a staggering 676 million women now live within 50 kilometers of deadly conflict, the highest level recorded since the 1990s.
The statistics reveal a catastrophic impact on civilians. The report found that civilian casualties among women and children have quadrupled compared to the previous two-year period. Furthermore, conflict-related sexual violence has increased by 87 per cent in just two years, illustrating the extreme risks faced by women in war zones.
UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Women Executive Director, Sima Bahous, highlighted the severity of the crisis. “Women and girls are being killed in record numbers, shut out of peace tables, and left unprotected as wars multiply,” Bahous stated. “Women do not need more promises, they need power, protection, and equal participation.”
Despite overwhelming evidence that women’s participation leads to more durable peace agreements, the report finds they remain largely excluded from key decision-making roles. In 2024, nine out of every ten peace processes had no women negotiators, with women making up just 7 per cent of negotiators and 14 per cent of mediators globally.
Bahous condemned this imbalance, saying, “These are not isolated data points, they are symptoms of a world that is choosing to invest in war instead of peace, and one that continues to exclude women from shaping solutions.”
The report also exposes a dangerous disparity in global spending. While global military expenditure surpassed USD 2.7 trillion in 2024, women’s organizations operating on the front lines of conflict received a mere 0.4 per cent of aid. Many essential front-line women’s groups are now facing imminent closure due to severe financial constraints.
UN Women is calling for immediate, concrete action, including a “gender data revolution” to make women’s realities visible and accountable. The agency demands conflicts be resolved through inclusive political solutions, more women to be involved in security reforms and recovery efforts, and greater accountability for violations, including full access to justice and reparations for survivors.
